Mower dampening hitch



Nov. 28, 1950 A. G. HUPP 2,532,230

MOWER DAMPENING HITCH Filed Nov. 6, 1948 a l5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 28, 1950 A. G. HUPP 2,532,230

MowER DAMPENING anca Filed Nov. 6, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 28, 1950 A. G. HUPP 2,532,230

MowER DAMPENING HITCH Filed Nov. 6, 1948 3 Slfleets-SheekI 3 Fi? 523 30 il ,fn/50 qll O O 3Ld C) C) 3g jf/a/weys Patented Nov. `28, 1950 MOWER DAMPENING HIT-CH Arlegh G. Hupp, South Milwaukee, Wis., assgnor to The Midland Co., South Milwaukee, Wis., a. corporation of Wisconsin Application November 6, 1948, Serial No. 58,739

4 Claims. l

This invention relates to a hitch and particularly has reference to a vibration cushioning or dampening hitch to be employed with small garden tractors in connecting the same to the irnplement to be driven by the tractor.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a hitch which dampens vibration of the implement to which the tractor is connected and thereby eliminates transmission of the greater part of the vibration to the operator of the tractor. i

Another object is to provide a hitch which substantially reduces transmission of vibration from the driven implement to the tractor to improve the life of the tractor parts.

Another object is to provide a vibration dampening hitch for employment between driving and driven apparatus to connect the same and which acts in operation to reduce transmission of vibratory shocks from the driven to the driving apparatus.

A further object is to provide a hitch which counters and absorbs the reaction resulting from change of direction of the cutting mechanism of a sickle or the like.

These and other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter in connection with the following description of an embodiment of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a side elevation of a two wheel garden tractor with a sickle bar mower hitched thereto.

Fig. 2 is a perspective View 0f the sickle bar mower with the hitch of the invention secured thereto;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the hitch of the invention;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the hitch with parts broken away and sectioned;

Fig. 5 is a section on line 5 5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a section on line 6 6 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the hitch; and

Fig. 8 is a top plan View with the hitch pivoted in service.

To illustrate employment of the hitch of the invention there is shown in Fig. 1 a Vsickle bar mower secured to a small two wheel garden tractor.

The tractor comprises in general a frame I which is carried by a transverse axle 2, and a pair of drive wheels 3 secured to the opposite ends of the axle.

Frame I has a forwardly projecting platform for supporting a small engine 4 and a rearwardly and upwardly extending handle bar 5 for guiding of the tractor by the operator.

The gear transmission 6 extends upwardly from axle 2 to a horizontal drive shaft I which extends transversely of the frame I. Drive shaft 'I is driven from engine 4 by V-belt 8, a drive sheave 9 on the engine shaft and a driven sheave ID on the drive shaft 1.

Sheaves 9 and I Il are provided with multiple grooves and in sheave Hl the sheave sections are of different diameter to provide for different power and speed ratios by shifting belt 8 from one sheave to another.

Transmission 6 pivots on axle 2 to tighten or loosen belt 8. Control rod Il carried by handle bar 5 and operated by lever I2 at the upper end of the handle bar effects the pivotal movement of transmission 6. The pivoting of the transmission and the mechanism provided for starting the tractor under substantial .load are fully described in the copending application of the present inventor referred to above and need not be described here as they form no part of the invention.

The sickle bar mower shown in Figs. 1 and 2 comprises a main bracket or saddle I3 upon which is supported the sickle bar parts. In general these parts comprise the sickle bar assembly I4 at the forward end of the apparatus and which is made up of a main bar I5 and a cutter bar I6 extending between supporting end shoes I'I and carrying forwardly projecting teeth. The bars are moved sideways for mowing and cleaning operations with the teeth thereon. The sickle bar assembly I4 is supported from the bottom of main bracket I3 by a forwardly extending plate I8.

The mechanism for driving the sickle bar aS- sembly I4 from engine 4 on the tractor comprises a drive pulley I9 driven from sheave 5 on engine 4 of the tractor and which in turn rotates a shaft 20 to drive pitman assembly 2l, and the actuating arm 22 the inner end of which is secured to a vertical drive shaft 23 extending within tubular housing 24 on the forward end of the main bracket I3.

The drive arm 25 connects vertical shaft 23 to cutter bar i6 to actuate cutter bar I6 sidewise relative to main bar I5 upon rotation of shaft 23 from engine 4 through the various parts described.

A plate 26 with downwardly extending longitudinal side flanges extends rearwardly from main bracket I3 as part of the frame of the sickle bar and bolts extend through the forward end of 3 plate 26 and the housing 21 of pulley shaft 2B disposed on top of plate 26 to bolt housing 21 and plate 26 to main bracket i3. Further details of the sickle bar need not be described.

Actuation of the mower establishes a substantial vibration therein which normally is transmitted to the tractor resulting in considerable agitationand shaking ci the parts of the tractor and also tending to shake or vibrate the operator as he grasps handle bar and lever I2 to manipulate the apparatus in service.

To dampen this vibration the cushioning hitch 28 is provided on the rear iportion of'plate '25 of the mower for connection to the 'downwardly flanged upper mounting member 2g which is secured to the tractor frame i.

Hitch 28 comprises a web having upwardly directed longitudinally extending side anges Bi?. A pair of parallel transverse horizontal bars 3l and `32 pass through the anges -39 and are welded thereto. IThe bars 3i yand 32 arespaced apart longitudinally/*oi hitch 28 and :lie preferably ina 'commonplane bartbeing 'the front bar and vbar 32 being'the rear fbarof the hitch.

Aretaining `arm 33 has a bearing ring 3s von one end iitting loosely around rear bar 332 centrally thereof. 'The arm .'33 'curves outwardll7 from bearing 36 and downwardly underneath theplate 26 of the mower and isfwelded centrally tothe `rearendiportion of plate 26.

Coil Vspacer springs 35 are assembled over `rear bar 32 on-each side of ring :3d `between ring Sii and ianges 3D of hitch 28.

Theishort bolt 35 extends through ther-central reaiupoitionof hitch member A:2li and'also through the web .of plate :2%. Washers :3i are jprovided directly beneath the head of'bolt\:31and'beneath plate 25. A pair of jam nuts .38 are threaded onto `the llower end of bolt-36 andaresecured against Tturningrby set screws 39. LShort"`bo`ltft `lits :loosely in the holesin `hitch ZBla'ndzplate to'enable hitch12'8 tofpivot onplate Zt'in'service.

Theoutward 'curve of retainingfarm 33 :from hitch 28 and plate 26, as described, :is 'suflicierit tolipermit hitch 281toipivot on bolt 36 and shift side'w-ise -in either v direction against coil v:springs t5 in fservice. In addition, as v.illustrated 1in YFig. 8, the clearance vin a horizontal plane between .barifand ringftipermits displacement of :hitch 28 against 'springs 35 relative to fixed :plate it to absorb shocks in service.

For the purpose `of assembl'yio hitch 528 :to mounting member -29 on iramevlof the .tractor, the hitch28 is of a-width to t within thefflanges of mounting-member 29. In addition-the'side flanges of mount `2S are each provided with :a forward-slot t and a rear slotffil .toreceivethe corresponding front and rear bars -39 and A:32. Clamping means such as wing nuts '-42 maylbe threaded lonto Athe corresponding ends of vbars 3! and 32 to secure the hitch and lmounting members together.

Slots til/and 4l are specially'formedto `enable assembly and disassembly of bars 3i and ft2 therein.

`In Aoperation vwhen .the tractor and cutting mechanism, in this case a .sickle vbar mower, are hitched together bythehitch of Athe invention, vibrations of "the mower Ytend to be absorbed or cushioned byhitch' and reactions tending to shake the tractor and operatorupon change of direction of the cuttingmechanism are absorbed by-hitch 28 asY the samepivots on pla-teilt against coil 'springs V35.

The inventionthus gives greater comfort to the operator in the operation of the mechanism and also substantially increases the life of the tractor parts by dampening the vibratory shocks to which such parts are normally subjected.

Various embodiments of the invention may be employed within the scope of the accompanying claims.

I claim:

1. A hitch for connecting the frames of a zdriven member and a driving member to operate the same together in service, which comprises a web having upwardly directed longitudinally 'extendingzsideianges means securing the hitch to the frame 'of the driving member, a pivot member 'pivoting the forward end portion of the .hitch to .the fra-me of the driven member for pivotal movement thereover, and a retaining arm secured at one end to; the frame of the driven member underlying the hitch and biased at the other vend -against vthe flanges lof the hitch to cushion movement oi the hitch in pivoting over -theframe of the driven member' in service.

i2. A'hitch for'c'onnecting'the ramesofa driven member and a driving member to 'operate .the same together :inservicefwhich comprises aiweb having `upwardly 'directed longitudinally extending side flanges, a .pivot member securing the'forward end portion of the hitch tothe frame of vthe driven member to pivot the hitch thereon, a bar extending between the flanges of the hitch near the end adjacent the driving member,;means securing the hitch to the frame of .the .driving member, a retaining :arm loosely assembled :at one end of said bar and `secured at the other end .to the frame of the driven ymember underlying said hitoh, yand biasing means .disposedfbetween said arm andthe 'flanges of the hitchto receive and Vcushion'movement of the l'hitchin pivoting over the frame of the driven .member in service.

3. A hitch for connecting the iramespiiadriven member anda driving fmember'to Voperate vthe 'same together in service which `comprisesaisubstantially horizontal web having upwardly -directed 'longitudinally fextendin'g side iiange's, a pair of horizontally "spaced transverse parallel bars passing through Vthe flanges or said hitch and lbeing'secured thereto, means securing -said bars to the frame of the driving member, pivot means securing the forward end portion of 4the hitch tc-the'frame of the driven member'topiVOt the hitch thereon; a retaining armlo'osely assems bled at 'one end on the rear parallel bar :of the hitch -and secured atthe other tend to the frame of the: driven member vunderlying said hitch, and biasing means assembled between said armfand the flan'gefsof ithe hitch to receive yand cushion movement of the hitch in pivoting over ,thefframe ci therdriven lmember l in service.

4. A hitch for connectingitheframesof. atractor and cutting member to operate the -same together in service, which comprises a substantially horizontal web having 'upwardly 'directed longitudinally Y extending side flanges, -a pair fof horizontally spaced transverse parallel barsipassing through the flanges of saidzhitch and being secured thereto, meansY securing the bars to the frame .of the-tractor, va pivot boltfsecuring :the forward end portion of the hitch to the frame of the cutting memberlto pivot the hitchathereon, a. retaining arm Aloosely assemble'dat Vonefend on rthesrear-parallel barof thehitch and secured at the other end to the frame of .the cutting member, andfaco-il springassembledY on saidire'ar bar on each side of said arm between the same and. tne flanges of the hitch to receive and cushion movement of the hitch in pivoting over Numb the frame of the cutting mechanism in service. 1532258 t 2,109,085 ARLEIGH G. HUPP. 5 2,368,290

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the Number ie of this patent: 264,312

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Wedemann Apr. '7, 1925 Chilstrom et al Feb. 22. 1938 Donald Jan. 3U, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Jan. 20, 1927 

